The Office of Industry Engagement (OIE) in the School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH) works with investigators and administrators interested in working with industry partners.
The Office of Industry Engagement assists faculty in establishing research relationships with industry, and advises faculty on university policy governing outside interactions with industry. The activities of this office fall into three general areas:
Supporting industry research
The Office of Industry Engagement assists researchers in establishing industry relationships to maximize the effectiveness of the collaborations and meet university policy guidelines. The office then facilitates the negotiation and execution of agreements that govern the relationships in partnership with the campus Office of Industrial Partnerships (OIP).
Industry relationships and conflict of interest
UW School of Medicine and Public Health researchers enter into many types of relationships with industry outside the scope of their university employment. These relationships may generate conflicts with university research. The Office of Industry Engagement serves as the School of Medicine and Public Health’s primary resource for questions and concerns regarding university policy and management of these conflicts of interest. Contact Kurt Zimmerman, (608) 262-0685, kjzimmerman@wisc.edu.
Commercializing SMPH intellectual property
The UW School of Medicine and Public Health’s research may lead to patentable or copyrightable intellectual property, such as inventions and software, which has commercial value. The Office of Industry Engagement advises researchers on university policy as it relates to intellectual property, and guides them to the appropriate resource for protecting and managing their intellectual property.